Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Clearly he's done. He's old and has a noodle arm. He and Sean must go.

/sarcasm
#clueless

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Congratulations Drew! Now get us to that Super Bowl game!

GEAUX SAINTS!

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Congrats Drew!!!! so, to all the haters. PAY DA MAN!!!!!

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Perspective...

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I haven't followed the team, for reasons most know, but I'm not surprised he has regained this record given how his stats would seem to indicate he became more of a game manager this year. If he could complete 71% of his passes in a time when he aired it out more, he can surely do better in a conservative style.

The justification for his salary has always been that he's elite. I guess "elite" has a different meaning now, if people still think he should make 30 million or more. But, that's just my two cents from the outside looking in.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I would agree with you although most won’t.

Nothing wrong with being a game manager, but I would like to see Brees with more deep threats. This is the first year that we really only have 1 deep threat in Ginn, and Brees seems to miss him an awful lot. I can’t think of any other year we had less than 2 deep threats to stretch the field.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Just imagine if Drew had a decent Tight End. Time and time again our WRs just aren't getting open, even when Thomas is double-teamed.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Why we let Ben Watson walk I'll never know.

One of the dumbest decisions we've made, even at age 38 he's better than Josh Hill and Fleener combined.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Side note - what happened to Willie Snead on 3rd downs ?? I saw him open a couple of times yesterday and Brees simply didn't throw in his direction. We will need Willie on Sunday.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Yeah, and I'm not saying being a game manager is bad either. I can't speak much for what he's doing, having not watched him, but I've looked at box scores and seen a few highlights. It just seems like he's perhaps not able to push the ball down field as much.

I know there aren't a lot of great receivers on the team, but that's kind of been the word throughout much of his time here, and people have always said Drew makes receivers better. I think he does make them better, when he's right, but there is something odd about his numbers this year.

They've run the ball better, but there have been games when they haven't, and the passing game hasn't been there to rescue the team like it used to.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I remember arguing for Aaron Brooks years ago and brought up the fact that he was completing over 60% of his passes. That was pretty darn good.
This Brees cat is a freaking stud and doesn’t get near the credit he deserves for being one of the best QBs to ever play the game.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

You don't often hear the term "game manager" and 4000 yard season in the same sentence.

And nobody's ever heard of 8+ yards per attempt at a game managing completion percentage 72%.

Game managing GOAT.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

4,000 doesn't mean a whole lot anymore.

Who is considered the ultimate "game manager" in the NFL today? Alex Smith, right? Here are his stats this year:

CMP ATT YDS CMP% AVG TD LNG INT FUM QBR RAT
341 505 4,042 67.5 8.00 26 79 5 1 63.4 104.7

Here are Brees' stats:

CMP ATT YDS CMP% AVG TD LNG INT FUM QBR RAT
386 536 4,334 72.0 8.09 23 54 8 5 61.1 103.9

Does anyone consider Smith elite? From everything I know about this season, Brees has relied on his backs to make big plays out of check downs. High completion percentage does not indicate the opposite of a game manager, either. It's actually to be expected, because of the short passing game. I'm not suggesting this is a terrible thing, but I don't think Brees is playing at an elite level anymore. The guy who broke his previous record (Sam Bradford) is certainly not considered elite, and is at best a game manager. So what does that stat really mean in today's NFL? It's pretty hard to say anymore.

The close comparison to Alex Smith's numbers this season would seem to back up my point. If you want to pay top dollar for that kind of production, good luck to you. This is how the league has gotten to this point where the Andy Dalton's of the world are getting paid like franchise players. Severe over-valuing. And no, I'm not suggesting Drew has dipped to Dalton's level.

Just my observation.

(for some annoying reason, no matter what I do, the numbers will not line up correctly with the stat columns when I post it, but hopefully you can read it well enough.)

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

In the Tampa game, saw Willie open underneath a couple of times however Brees hit Ginn instead. Maybe Carolina will watch the film of this game & not "game plan" for Willie or Coleman for that matter.

If there is ever a game where we need to convert more 3rd downs & have Snead play a big part of it ... it must happen on Sunday.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Drew could manage this team for several more years and I'm willing to pay top dollar fr it. He is the face of the franchise. You simply don't let that guy go!

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Well you are certainly entitled to that opinion. But I see game managers around the league that I could get for a lot less. If I were to pay top dollar for a player, I expect top notch results, regardless of what his name is, or what the perception of him is.

It's a business, and I don't believe in paying for sentimental reasons. I might be in the minority on this board, but I've always been more of the type to look at production, and I don't get attached to players very much.

That's not to say Drew isn't capable. But I am firmly of the belief that players diminish at this age, not matter what they try to say about their nutrition. Nutrition might help your ticker, but it won't save you from bone crushing hits over a long career. But I guess none of this is really my problem anymore. It'll be what it'll be.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Sorry Drew brings more then just a game manager. He is the face of the Saints. Some of the money he, or any face of a franchise, does get paid for that.

For better or worse.

The jackass Ravens set the bar when they gave top dollar to that idiot QB Flacco. Then the bar got broken again and again.

Who would you rather have, that will be available, at QB for next year?

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

An argument can be made, I think, that Peyton Manning was a game manager in his last year. We saw how that turned out.

And Drew Brees is a long long (really long) way from that.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I don't follow the team, other than checking box scores anymore, so it's of no actual consequence to me, either way. I'm arguing from a matter of practicality, in how I see it.

Alex Smith will be available, and considering the comparison of how he and Brees both played this year, I might sign him, knowing he's cheaper and has a few less years of wear and tear. Now, if Drew wanted to take lesser money (I doubt that happens), then I'd stay with him a little longer. But I'm not willing to pay "face of the franchise" money, on reputation. Show me you're elite, and I'll pay you accordingly.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Peyton Manning was a broken down shell of himself, and got benched. There is being a game manager, and being bad. Peyton was bad by that point. They won a super bowl with defense.

Same way the 2000 Ravens won with Trent Dilfer and an all time great defense.

Drew proved to be a pretty good game manager this year. But is that worth elite money? I'd argue that no, it isn't. But I have no doubt that is what he'll get.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Just can't accept any comparison of Drew Brees as a game manager. I'll agree that Trent Dilfer was the all time great 'game manager'. This is not Drew Brees.

Or, aren't all QBs game managers? It can only matter then which is the best of the managers, and I'd rank Drew Brees as high on that list as I would have in 2009. Today.

But if you consider a 'game manager' to be some sort of 'lesser' abled QB, which is how I would use the term, then we will just have to agree to disagree.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

In American football, a game manager is a quarterback who, despite relatively poor individual statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns, performs well enough to win games. Game managers often benefit from strong defense and rushing offense on their teams.
Game manager - Wikipedia

In 2017...
Highest accuracy (in NFL history) - 72%
Highest yards per attempt - 8.09
Most completions - 386
2nd highest passer rating - 103.9
4th highest total passing yards - 4,334
5th highest 1st down %

These are not "relatively poor individual statistics", therefore, Brees doesn't fit the definition of "game manager."

Drew Brees 2017 salary is 5th in the NFL at $24.25m/year. Brees is a good deal by comparison to other quarterbacks. You could pay less but you're gonna get less of a quarterback.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

A game manager to me is someone who plays a more conservative style and relies on shirt passing and running game, and who is not someone who puts the team on his shoulders when the running game and defense aren't there.

That would seem to describe Drew, this year. He had Kamara make a lot of short plays turn into big gains, and he had a running game finally. But when you he needed to step up and win a game when the running game wasn't there, he didn't seem to do so well. Being a game manager doesn't mean you are poor, it means you are conservative. The Saints employ shirt passing as an extension of the running game, and that allows for Brees to easily get his 4,000 yards. He only had 22 touchdowns and, again, was the beneficiary of an explosive RB on screen plays.

I gave you the comparison to Alex Smith, whom everyone has labeled as a game manager. Very similar stats all across the board and also averaged 8 yards per pass.

If you can keep Drew at 24 million a year, fine. We're talking about the next contract, and I've heard numerous people saying he's easily worth 30 million. To which, I disagree.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Rather than repeat myself, I'll refer you to my post right above this one for my personal definition of a game manager.

As for Trent Dilfer, I don't even think he was a good game manager. He honestly did almost nothing. They were winning games 10-7 and 7-3. Drew is not a bad QB. He's still a very good one. But I don't see him showing a consistent ability to take over games when he doesn't have the luxury of an effective running game and defense. I respect if people disagree with me. But I'm making what I see as a legitimate observation.

He's a QB you'd rather have than not, compared to most of what's out there. But, I wouldn't pay more than he's making currently, if it were up to me.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

NFL is not moneyball, so just looking at stats holds less validity than it does in a sport like baseball.

Box scores tell quite a limited story of the events that unfold in the game itself.

There are quite a few teams looking for a leader, who would drown Brees in cash if he would be available.

I don't see anything in Brees' performances, which would warrant a change in that position. He is still top 5 in his position in the league, and would be extremely difficult to replace without taking a hit to the overall effectiveness of the offense.

The Saints are financially in an ok place, and with the ever increasing salary budget - re-signing Brees is a no-brainer IMO.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I realize and agree that just plain stats don't always tell the story. But I am aware from reading summaries and seeing what games the running game was there, or wasn't there (including the first two games that I DID watch, before I began boycotting), that Brees didn't really step up when he was called upon to carry the offense. So how impressive was his season, really? I am not thoroughly impressed.

I think there is a lot of bias on this board because of what Brees has done over his career. I expect the reactions I get. But I stopped being so biased about players, even when I was supporting the team, long ago. The guy is going on 40. It's ok to do what he's doing at his age. Is it elite? I've given my answer numerous times. You folks disagree with me. That's fine. I'm not one to say things for the sake of saying it, or stirring up controversy. I'm calling it as I see it.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Herein lies your misconception. Not only is nutrition a factor in how much longer a QB can perform at higher levels these days as compared to as recently as ten years ago, but actual pounding that the position takes has decreased exponentially over than same period. Also not taken into consideration is the year round physical training that several of today's QB's employ, as well as recent advancements in medical care. You are basing your entire opinion about the effective longevity of the current day QB on factors that are no longer valid.

It is like basing the performance of a present day computer upon your experience with the one you owned ten years ago. It's like comparing apples and hard cider.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

The point that you are not getting is that Brees isn't simply a game manager. If you actually watched the games you would see that he is just as capable as he has always been. All you see are his stats which you interpret as a drop-off in ability. The reality is that the running game and an improved defense have lessened the need for him to put up the huge numbers. It hasn't been necessary, but to be as good as the Saints can be it is vital that the capability is there if, and when, it is needed.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

How can you even make an argument about the physical ability of a player that you haven't even watched play? The Saints have had the ability to play a vastly different style of football this season based upon several favorable factors. The resulting statistics have nothing to do with the ability of the QB. You would know that if you had actually watched every snap Brees had played like the rest of us.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

No you aren't calling it as you see it because you haven't seen it. THAT is the point. If you had seen it you would understand why you are so far off base. Nothing personal, but in this case you truly do not know what you are talking about because you have chosen to ignore one of the most important factors when evaluating the performance of an NFL player ... the eye test.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Brees has secured his spot to finish his career a Saint, there really is no discussion.